12/20/2011 03:10:00 p.m. -
Reported by
Chuck Foster

BBC Worldwide have announced a deal to provide programming content to Internet streaming service Netflix in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company already streams BBC programmes including Doctor Who and Torchwood in the US, Canada and Latin America.

Netflix's Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said:

BBC shows are a big favourite of our over 20 million streaming members in the US, Canada and Latin America. Members love watching back-to-back episodes of BBC series where and when they want, at the click of a button. We are incredibly proud to make these high quality programmes available to Netflix members in the UK and Ireland.

Steve Macallister, President and Managing Director for Sales and Distribution at BBC Worldwide, said:

With our content already available on Netflix in North and Latin America, we're delighted to be a launch partner for Netflix in the UK and Eire, offering viewers the chance to watch some of our best loved shows on the platform from day one. UK audiences have really grasped the experience that online viewing can bring, and our programming has proven to be particularly popular with this digital audience.

Shows like Doctor Who are already available online in the UK through Internet Service providers like BT Vision and Virgin Media (and of course recent programming domestically through the BBC's own iPlayer service); Netflix's service also opens out programming to a number of internet-enabled platforms including the Xbox360, Nintendo Wii, and Sony PS3, plus a variety of blu-ray players, televisions, and mobile devices.

The BBC have also announced an enhanced content service with Virgin Media, bringing what they term as next generation BBC TV services to the cable provider's Tivo platform. Jane Weedon, Controller of Business Development, BBC Future Media said:

With its pioneering BBC iPlayer service now available on more than 300 different internet-connected TV devices, the BBC has successfully taken catch-up TV beyond the PC and into the living room. Having partnered with Virgin Media to bring BBC iPlayer to TV back in 2008, we have since brought a vastly-improved, fully-integrated experience of BBC iPlayer to Virgin Media’s TiVo Service. With the addition of the BBC News app and enhanced BBC Sport services – all accessible via the Red Button – we plan to build on this partnership and continue to innovate in connected TV through 2012.